Tuesday morning broke over Iron City with a crispness that felt like a fresh start, and Ryan Carter finally stepped back into the familiar grind at the Roarers Training Center.
The gym hummed with energy, the squeak of sneakers on polished wood echoing as he joined his teammates.
Only Darius was missing—everyone else showed up, clapping him on the back and congratulating him on taking home the Rising Stars MVP trophy.
——
Wednesday rolled in with a lighter touch—short drills to loosen the legs, followed by a film session that carried a heavier weight.
Coach Crawford stood at the center of the room, flanked by two assistants hunched over playback controls and analytics screens, their fingers dancing across tablets.
The main display flickered to life, casting a glow over the team as it rolled clips of their Thursday opponent: the Nova City Starships.
Crawford crossed his arms.
"You all know who we've gotta lock in on."
